Concerns

"So uhmm...quiet a family dinner last night huh? Judging from the way you kept tossing and turning in all night, you weren't thrilled at all." Ayanda says as she comes out of the bathroom and sits in the dressing table of their bedroom. "Which part exactly? Thulani making insinuations that someone is stealing company money or Prince storming out of the house like a spoiled little brat?" a visibly annoyed Thamsanqa says with a sigh as he puts a pillow on his back and sits up straight.
"Oh come baby, you don't have to be like that to your little brother...you know Prince has mind of his own." Ayanda says as she continues to lotion herself in the mirror. "I'm being like what, exactly? Oh and he is not so little anymore..." Thamsanqa says as he rolls eyes in scoff. "Prince needs to stop acting like he is an outcast...like he is not family."
"Well, maybe then we shouldn't always be hard on me my love, don't you think?" Ayanda says politely as she comes over to sit on the bed next to her husband. "Maybe we should let him figure himself out you know. If he wants to do his own thing outside the family business we should just let him. Maybe that way he will learn something if things don't go well for him. It's his life afterall, that's all I'm saying."
"Last night you were the one asking him to join the company, what changed?" Thamsanqa asks curiously. "Well last night I was speaking on a business standpoint sweetheart but it doesn't mean that I don't get where he is coming from, alright? I know how it feels to not being able to do what you want..." Ayanda says politely as she takes her husband's hand. "Well I don't want Prince to continue wasting his life." Thamsanqa says with a sigh. "And did you see how he was last night? I'm sure he came straight from the club with one of his many girlfriends."
Realizing that this conversation has not chance of going anywhere Ayanda quickly interjects, "Anyways, about that other thing...bhut' Thulani saying there are some monies that have disappeared? Well, it may be too early to make sense of it all but my eye is on Jessica..." she says with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh come on sweetheart, now why would you say something like that?" Thamsanqa asks curiously as he seems caught off guard with that but Ayanda ignores the question and says, "Oh and I saw how she kept looking at you and you seemed to kinda like it too." before going back to the dressing table.
"Oh what are you on about now? First 'Jess is a thief' and now she is giving me looks? What's wrong with you this morning?" Thamsanqa asks with a raised eyebrow. "Oh she is 'Jess' now? Since when? And please don't tell me that I don't know what I saw." Ayanda says as she looks at him through the mirror. "Oh baby, you know I only have eyes for you right? That woman has nothing on you my love, you have nothing to worry about." Thamsanqa says as he shakes his head with a smile.
"Oh no, it's not you that I don't trust my love..." Ayanda says as she raises an eyebrow. "Arg, I don't thing there is any reason for you to mistrust Jessica either. She has been in our lives for a little while now baby and have you ever found anything suspiciously off about her?" Thamsanqa asks as he shrugs his shoulders.
"Well, she should promote you to being her spokesperson..." Ayanda sarcastically as she finishes off lotioning herself. "Besides baby, some women get attracted to men with power and since you are now Group CEO Jessica may be looking at you differently."
"Acting Group CEO baby, and I think you are just being silly alright?" Thamsanqa says as he smiles and shakes his head in disbelief. "Oh so I'm seeing things? Well, alright then Mr. Dladla, let me finish up here so that I can go make us breakfast...can you please check up on the girls for me?" Ayanda says as she disappears to the bathroom again.
***

Meanwhile, somewhere in Westville Lerato has come see her little brother Prince who stormed out of the house last night during family dinner, leaving his father disappointed and everyone else shocked.
"Wow, I must be so special for you visit me so early on a Sunday the morning sisi. Do you want something to drink? Wine? Whiskey Vodka? I got everything except juice..." Prince says with smile as he leads his sister to the lounge. "Oh come on Prince, it's 10:00 in the morning...don't you think it's still early for that?" Lerato says as she rolls eyes. "Well, my house my rules..." Prince says as he goes over to the side table and pulls a bottle of wine and two glasses.
"Wow I really love what you have done with the place? Who did it for you? And the way it's so clean, do you leave with a woman or something?" Lerato says as she looks around the room. It is really has a beautiful furniture and beautiful paintings on the walls. It is clear that Prince has a good taste.
"Oh come on, you know me sis, you think I'd live with a woman?" Prince says as he pours white sparkling wine on two glasses and gives on to Lerato who reluctantly takes. "And of those girls who sleep over, I make sure they can cook and clean and do laundry. I won't have them chowing my money for free."
"So in other words, you are saying is that you bring over prostitutes who can cook or, domestic workers who double up as slay queens?" Lerato says as she shakes her head in disbelief before taking a sip of the delicious wine. "But why do you live your life so dangerously like this little brother? You know, I worry about your lifestyle sometimes...we all do. I mean, what's this really about Prince? This is not how mom and dad raised you, is it? To be a player and a womanizer?"
"Well, where is the fun in not living dangerously? Oh and those girls are not prostitutes." Prince says as he also takes a sip. "But what's wrong with settling down little bro? Why can't you find a nice girl that you can settle down with...someone who will ground you?" Lerato asks with a concerned voice.
"Me, settle? Come on Lira, do you see that as an option?" Prince says he puts his glass down. "Besides, settling down...how has that worked for you? I really don't wanna be part of the stats in the family."
As soon as he sees that those words may have not sat down with his sister he quickly jumps back in, "Oh uhmm...I'm really sorry sisi, that was way out of line. I shouldn't have said that." he says as he looks embarrassed. "It's okay, I guess you will always be Prince." Lerato says with a low voice as she looks a little hurt which makes Prince to look down in shame before saying, "Anyways uhmm...I don't think you came all the way to ask me about my love life. So what's on your mind sisi."
"Oh yeah, uhmm...I wanted to talk about last night." Lerato says with a low voice but Prince quickly interjects, "Oh no sis, I really don't wanna talk about that alright?" he says but his sister also jumps in, " Oh but we do need to talk about it alright?" she says with a begging voice. "The way you stormed out of the house last night...it really hurt dad okay? All of us in fact...I mean, what was that?"
"Oh so dad sent you here to talk to me?" Prince asks as he picks up his wine again and quickly takes a sip to calm himself. "Oh no, no one sent me here alright? We are just worried about you Prince...is it alright to say that?" Lerato says as she throws hands. "Oh I really doubt everyone is worried. I'm sure Thami is happy wherever he is because now he gets to become the perfect son and I become the black sheep of the family." Prince says with a scoff as he takes another sip.
"Oh come on now brother why do you have to say something like that huh?" Lerato says with a sad face as she raises her voice a little bit. "You know very well that dad loves us all equally even mom did too."
"Oh really?" Prince scoffs again but a fed up Lerato cuts in, "Goddamnit Prince, how do you always insist on convincing yourself that you are not a member of this family, huh? Why?" she raises her voice once again. "But are we? Are we, really Lira? We are just four adopted kids who had families in our past life. No wonder we are always on each other's throats."
That has obviously cut so deep in Lerato as she quickly puts her glass down and stands up. "But how can you say something like that to me Prince, huh?" she says with a shaky voice and eyes of disbelief. "You are my little brother and you, Thami and Zoleka are the only family I know...but you gone on and say something as hurtful as this to me? How could you, Prince?" Now her eyes teary as she breathes a little heavily.
"Oh come on sis that's not what I..." Prince says as he also stands and tries to take her hand but she backs off, "No, don't...just don't.'' she raises her voice. "You know what, you really know how hurt a person without even feeling a damn thing. No wonder you treat women like this...because to you women are just disposable trash." Her eyes are now red as tears begin to fall down.
She quickly walks towards the door but Prince follows her, "Sis please don't leave I didn't mean..." he begs but Lerato doesn't look back as she quickly opens the door and slamming it on Prince's face who doesn't follow her outside. "Sh*t...f*ck..." he shouts as he watches through the window his sister getting into the car and driving off.
***

Jason Mpetha

Somewhere else Zoleka and her fiancé Jason Mpetha are having breakfast at one of Umhlanga beach restaurants this quiet Sunday morning. From where they are sitting in the veranda, the warm sunrays are hitting them nicely to counter a little chilly sea breeze.
Jason is a banker in one of the giants of South Africa's banking institutions and amongst some of his clients are, wealthy individuals and major companies. Even though he is doing really well for himself those close to him say he is a very humble guy who gets along with everyone. He and Zoleka have been together about 3 years or so now and people seem to think they are a perfect fit for one another.
"So uhmm...you know I was just thinking...would it have been so wrong for us to have this breakfast either at my place or yours?" Jason asks as he takes a sip of his orange juice. "But why do I sense that this isn't really about the breakfast itself? Don't you like this restaurent?" Zoleka dismisses his question with a smile as she also sips on her juice.
"Well I mean, breakfast in bed would have been really nice you know. Either at your place where'd you have made me one or at my place where I'd have made you one." Jason says as he shrugs. Zoleka thinks for a second before saying, "Arg, I'm sorry honey it's just that the family which went up until late last night was very hectic and messy so I was not in the right frame of mind. Besides, I didn't wanna drive all the way over to your place late a night because I don't think I have anything left of my clothes there."
"Which is why I always ask you to leave some stuff but what do you do? Better yet, I have asked you to move in with me or I move in with you, like a billion times." Jason says as he shrugs his shoulders. "Oh come on honey, but we spoke about this a billion times, right? I have explained to you how this is not possible at the moment." Zoleka says with a sigh as she puts her folk down.
Not wanting to spoil the breakfast date, Jason throws hands as says, "Okay, alright fine...let's drop it. So how did family dinner go last night?" with a low voice as he changes the subject. "Arg it really is a long story babe but in a nutshell, it was a disaster." Zoleka says as she shakes her head. "But my dad asked where you were and why you weren't attending."
"Oh uhmm...really?" a visibly surprised Jason asks as he raises an eyebrow. "What? Why do you seem surprised?" Zoleka asks as she takes a sip of her juice. "So what did you say to him?" Jason asks as he ignores the question but Zoleka thinks for a second before saying, "Well uhmm...he said family dinner so I assumed you know, he meant his children." Zoleka says as she shrugs. "But guess who was there? Bhut' Thulani and Jessica. I was really annoyed because they ended up spoiling our family dinner."
"Funny though that your dad thinks I'm family, more than you do." Jason says with a low voice as he takes a sip of his juice. "What is that supposed to mean babe?" a confused Zoleka asks curiously. "Well I mean your father clearly wanted me there because it was a family meeting but you on the other hand have been stalling." Jason says as he clears his throat because this conversation is getting serious.
"Stalling? What are you talking about? Stalling what?" Zoleka asks as she pleads ignorance. "Oh come on honey, you are stalling on the wedding." Jason says as he looks around to see if anyone is listening. "How long have we been engaged now? 8 months? But you still haven't decided on the date yet and the reasons you put forward don't quiet hold babe. Do you even wanna marry me anymore?"
"But love, where is all this coming from?" Zoleka whispers as she also looks around. "I mean, I thought you and I were on the same page with regards to the wedding. I have always explained that I haven't had time since things have been hectic at work but baby I am not stalling alright?"
Jason looks at her in the eyes as though he is trying to read her.
"Honey, are we good?" Zoleka says with a begging voice as she tries to take his hand but Jason stands and says, "Excuse me I need to go to the loo."
He leaves Zoleka glued on her chair as she looks around to see if anyone is watching their little drama.
***

Meanwhile, Richard Moyo is on the phone with his associate Abs Maleka.
Abs: "Hey howzit my man? What are you up to on this Sunday morning?"
Richard: "No I'm good man, how are you? No man, I will take a shower and go over some proposals in my study before going to see some guys on business. What's up?"
Abs: "Uhmm...my man, I need a favor."
Richard: "Alright, what is it?"
*little silence*
Abs: "I need some information, that your girlfriend Lerato can be able to give you."
Richard: "What kind of information is that?"
*a little silence*
Abs: "Look, I can't talk about it over the phone. Can you swing by house later on this evening?"
Richard: "Sure thing. I will give you call later."
Abs: "Thanks man..."
*Call dropped*